Display device



Dec. 28, 1937.

J. BELL DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 c L a c i Z 3 BY 7 W ATTOEiEYJ.

Patented Dec. 28, 1957 UNITED STATES tion of ltlewlersey This invention relates to a noveland improved form of display device, the novel features of which will be best understood from the following description and the annexed drawing, in

which I have shown a selected embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a container embodying my invention, parts being broken away to show the interior of the container;

Fig. 2 is a section approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Hitherto, in displaying spools of thread for sale, it has been customary to arrange them with their tops all on a single plane or so that the tops are invisible. For example, it has been common to place the spools on their bottoms in a box or on any support used for display purposes so that the tops will all be in substantially the same plane and the spools willbe close enough '0 together so that only the tops-will be visible. This arrangement is not altogether unsatisfactory when all of the thread is of one color, but where different colors are oifered for sale and identifled by numbers or other characters on the tops of the thread spools, the purchaser must know the number of the thread color which she intends to buy or must see the desired thread color itself.

On the other hand, it also has been customary to lay the spools end to end on their sides so that the thread itself is visible andso that thepurchaser may thus see and select the color desired.

This, however, covers the'top of the spool so that if one wishes to order by number as oftentimes is the case, she is hindered in so doing. .7

Another disadvantage of the prior art arrangements Just described is that purchasers in making their selections pick thespools up and handle them. They may not be returned to their proper places and the result is a disarrangement of the original display, together with deterioration of the goods from handling and from exposure.

In the following description and.in the claim I shall for the sake of convenience use the word "spool, although it is of course to be understood 5 that this term is not intended to be limiting, as the invention can be applied to other holders of yarn, thread or the like whichmay not usually be referred to as spools.

According to my invention, I provide a display 50 device in the form of a support so constructed that the purchaser may see both the thread on the spool and the top of the spool containing the color number or other identifying characters.

In the selectedembodiment, I have shown the 55 invention as installed in a container or box havmay befolded under, as indicatedat and l5, s and these ends may. likewise be secured to the 'tion, although for the sake of convenience I have formed into their desired shape by bending,"and" here again the abutments maybe secured in place v3,5 a

n in particular is used to mm aback for the end seat ii, and the abutment I! is shown as-* (two abutments may be used for advertising mat-Q handled before purchasing asis necessary in the o prior art. In turn, this makesit'possible to dis-' 4 w an. Bell, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to The arm] .Cotton Company, New York, N. Y., a corporaing a bottomj Lend walls 1 and 3,;anfd side walls 4 and 5; The box may be provided with a cover 6 "having a' panel I of i transparent material through which the contents of the box may be seen when on display. 5 The support for the spools is shown asin the form -of a sheet of material 8. This sheet may be formed of cardboard, for example, and provided with reverse bends 9 and l0 forming between them seats II and backs", with each back 10 connecting the low edge of one seat II to the high edge of the adjacent seat ll. These bends may conveniently be formed by notching the sheet as indicated and then bending the sheet until the backs and seats are substantially nor- 15 mal to each other and until the'seats havethe desired inclination to the horizontal. This inclination may be whatever is desired. g

The support may be placed in the bottom of the container and there secured in place as by .20 securing the bends III to the bottom by a suitable adhesive (not shown). The ends ofthe sheet bottom by adhesive.

To still further aid in locating and securing the support in the bottom ofthe container, I may. provide suitable abutments and "at opposite ends of the container between the support and the end walls and 3," respectively.

These abutments-may be of any desired c'onstrucshown them as being formed of sheet .material bysuitable adhesive if desired. The abutment,

extending upwardly a short distance over the 1 spool on the'adjacent seat. The tops ll of the 40 ter or for any other information which it is desirable to convey .to the purchaser.

looking particularly at Fig. 1, itfwill be seen that the result of-my invention'istc provides. y device wherein, when the spools are viewed from above'the support, one'may readily see'thethread V itself on the spools and also the color designations is on the tops of the spools. Thenthe 3 purchaser may select the color either by the num so I her or by the actual color of the-thread itself. Thus'it'is not necessary for the to be play the thread spools in a closedcontainer the transparent panel through which the goods may be seen. Thus, the goods are protected from handling and from deterioration while nevertheless being conveniently displayed.

In shipping, it is desirable to prevent dislocation 0! the spools and therefore I provide between the cover and the upper portions 20 of the spool tops a filler 2| of such thickness as to engage the cover and the portions 20 so as; to hold the spools on their seats. 1

While I have shown the invention as embodied in a specific form, it is to be understood that various changes in details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

I claim: i

A combined shipping and display package comprising a box having a flat bottom and a removable cover parallel to each other when the cover is in place on the box, spools within the box and arranged in closely adjacent transverse'rows, the

longitudinal axes of said spools being parallel to ,each other and inclined to theperpendicular, 9.

stepped support between said spools and bottom and comprising inclined seats engaging the bottoms of the spools and backs connecting the edges of adjacent seats, said seats and backs being disposed at right angles to each other and the lower edges of the seats and backs resting on said bottom of the box, the lowest and highest points of the spools lying respectively in parallel horizontal planes spaced apart a vertical distance substantially equal to that between the bottom and cover of the box, the spools in one row overlapping those in an adjacent row, the spools in each row being freely removable from the box in a direction parallel to their longitudinal axes without' disturbin'g the spools in adjacent rows and each spool having its top end and part of its side visible when in the box, each end row being spaced a clear distance from the adjacent end of the box which is insufiicient to accommodate another rowof similarly arranged and inclined spools but which is sufllcient to permit ready removal of the spools in said end row.

JOHNBELL. 

